Cinema Paradoxical

Hollywood remakes of foreign films are a mixed bag, to say the least. For instance, The Magnificent Seven was an epic reimagining of Kurosawas Seven Samurai, while cinematic abortions like Point of No Return (La Femme Nikita) shouldve stayed in development hell.

When Tinsel Town transformed the 1962 French sci-fi short La Jetée into 12 Monkeys, however, they got it right. Sure, it was partly due to Terry Gilliams gifted direction, but also because it captured the mind-bending nature of its source material.

Like its 1995 remake, La Jetée is a twisted paradoxical tale of a man sent back through time from an apocalyptic future to present day, only be murdered in front of his younger self. Unlike its big-budget counterpart, the plot unfolds through narration told over a series of black-and-white still photos in a very French New Wave style of storytelling.

Wed., June 15, 7 p.m., 2011

Benjamin is the clubs editor at Phoenix New Times. He covers local nightlife, music, culture, geekery, and fringe pursuits.